Machine for manufacturing expanded metal.



N 890 127. PATENTED JUNE 9 1 0 F. H ORITTALL. 908

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL:

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17. 1908.

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E.- H. CRITTALL. I MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

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APPLICATION FIIjED FEB.17. 1908.

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El h 1 No. 890,127. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908L P. H. GRITTALL.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL,

APPLICATION FILED FEB.17. 1908.

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No. 890,127, PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908 F. H. URITTALL. MACHINE FORMANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

APPLICATION mm) 1 113.17, 1908.

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No. 890,127. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. F. H. CRITTALL.

MACHINE FOR MANUFAGTURINGEXPANDED METAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17.1908.

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;UW QALZ LW i yVVfl H N 890 127.. PATENTED JU w 0 F. H. GRITTALL. NE1908 MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

APPLICATION FILED IZEB.17.1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

FRANCIS HENRY (JRITTALL,

OF BRAINTREE, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908.

Application filed February 17, 1908. Serial No. 416,234.

tion. I

In my British Patent No. 21,083, of Oct. 17, 1905, I have shownmechanism whereby expanded metal is made by "forming in a sheet parallellongitudinal rows of short slits and then pulling the sides of thesheet, apart thus opening the slits into diamond shaped holes.

The process described in said patent puts a considerable strain on theuncut portions of metal between the ends of the slits of each row suchportions forming the junctions at the corners of the meshes of theresulting network. This fact limits the lateral exten sion of the sheet.According to my present invention these uncut portions of metal are moreor less relieved from strain by arranging them at an angle to projectfrom opposite sides of the plane of the expanded sheet and causing thestrips forming the sides of the meshes to twist helically. This resultcan be producedin the following manner :The sheet of metal is slit inrows as usual the rectangular junctions of uncut metal between the endsof the slits of each row being midway along the slits of the adjacentrows. The sheet is thus divided into narrow longitudinal stripsconnected by these rectangular junctions which lie in transverse rowsabout half the length of a slit apart. The junctions are then turnedabout longitudinal axes until they are approximately at right angles tothe plane of the sheet, all the junctions of one transverse row beingturned in the same direction, while all the junctions of the twoadjacent transverse rows are turned in the opposite direction. Theeffect of this. is to give a helical twist to the strips and when thesheet is expanded in the ordinary way they retain this twist and thejunctions remain more or less at right angles to the plane of the sheet.In the finished article also the whole length of each strip is on oneside of the plane of the sheet, adjacent stri s being on opposite sidesof this plane. Tie bending of the junctions may conveniently beperformed by means of rolls having saw like teeth each beveled on oneside.

The drawings show a machine suitable for carrying out the process. Themechanism shown is similar in many respects to that illustrated in myBritish patent above mentioned but in place of the corrugating rollsshown in that patent I have arranged improved rolls for turning thejunctions of the slit sheet out of the lane of the sheet and fortwisting the stran s according to my improvements.

vFigure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of amachine embodying this invention. Fi s. 3, 4 and 5 are transversesections (to twice the scale of Figs. Land 2) on the lines 33, 44, and55, Fig. 1; In

these figures many parts are omitted for the,

sake of clearness. Fig. 6 is a local plan of Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 arelocal transverse sections and Fig. 9 is a local side elevation showingdetails. Figs. 8* and 9* are detached views of some of'the parts. Fig. 7is four times and Fi s. 8, 9, 8* and 9* are eight times the scale 0Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 10 and 11 are longitudinal and transverse sectionsof the slitting rolls 6, these figures are sixteen times the scale ofFigs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 12 is a part side elevation and Fig. 13 a 1part radial section ofthe saw toothed rolls 7.

ig. 14 is a plan of the sheet after it has been slit and Fig. 15 is aplan of the same sheet after it has passed through the rolls 7. Figs.16, 17 and 18 are local-sections on the lines 1616, 1717 and 1818 Fig.15 the parts behind the planes of section being omitted. Fig. 19 is aplan of the finished sheet and Fig. 20 is a section on the line 2020Fig. 19. Fig. 12 is sixteen times and Fi s. 13 to 20 are thirty twotimes the scale of Figs. 1 and 2.

As before stated, the mechanism shown is largely similar to that shownin my British patent before referred to but the mechanism is changed inthe res ect before mentioned and as thus changer the machine is welladapted'for performing the various steps in the manufacture of thedesired article.

1 (Fig. 1) is a toothed wheel fixed to the main shaft of the machine. 2is a toothed wheel gearing with the wheel 1 and fixed to the same shaftas the wheel 3 which gears with wheels 4 and 5 fixed res ectively to theshafts of one of the slitting r0 ls 6 and one of the saw toothed rolls7. 8 is a wheel gearing with the wheel 4 and also with the wheel 9 fixedto the shaft of one of the feed rolls 10. The wheel 1 also gears with awheel-11 on the spindle of a worm 13 gearing with a worm wheel 14 on thelongitudinal shaft 15. This each slitting roll consists of a number ofdisks 20 se arated from each other by the thickness of a disk, and'thedisks of oneroll just enter the spaces between'the disks of the otherroll, thus forming a series of shear blades. The edges of the disks havenotches 21 in them equally spaced around their circumferences, andsituated alternately on o posite faces of them, and at thesepoints t edisks do not cut the metal sheet. The notches of one series are midwaybetween thenotches of the other series, so that the metal sheet afterpassing through the rolls has in it a number of parallel lines of slits22 (Fig. 14) the sheet being divided by the slits into narrow strips a ba b &c. connected together by rectangular junctions c d c d &c. of uncutmetal.

In order to prevent the sheet of metal sticking in the rolls 6 twoparallel grids 23- (Figs. 10 and 11) are provided, the bars of which liebetween the disks of the two rolls. There is a s ace between these twogrids sufficient to a low the sheet of metal to pass;

The saw toothed rolls 7 (Figs. 12 and 13) are like the rolls 6 built upof parallel disks.

Each of these disks are provided with teeth I e f. One side of each ofthese teeth is-a plane radial surface while the other side is roundedand beveled so that the periphery of each tooth is a blunt edge. Theteeth 6 and f are arranged alternately and face opposite ways as shown.The teeth e act ,upon the junctions c and turn them from right to left.as shown at' Fig. .16 while the teethf act onthe junctions d and turnthem from left to right as shown at Fig. 17 In each case the unction isbent between the rounded faces of the up er and lower rolls. Inthe'finished sheet, Figs. '19 and 20, the junctions c and d retain theirmore or less vertical position so that the strips a are all on the topof the sheet and the strips 1) at the bottom. v

The sheet of metal after leaving the saw toothed rolls 7 is passed byhand to a guide trough and the clutch 16 is thrown in by a treadle thusstarting the expanding mechanism. The guide trough is formed of a fixedta'ble.24 supported by standards 25 and two movable sides 26 which aredepressed out of the way when the jaws 27 descend to sieze the edges ofthe sheet as is clearly' shown at Fig. 7 by a cam 28 which acts on alever 29 connected by links 30 to hell crank levers 31 which operatethem.

The sides 26 are brought back by springs which are not shown.

As shown at Fig. 4 the cams 37 have three lifts. When the slide 36 is onthe highest lift (as shown at Fig. 4) the points of the jaws 27'penetrate through the edge of the unexpanded sheet of metal into holesin the edge. of thetable 24 but as the cam 37 revolves the slide 36almost immediately descends on to the middle lift and the points of theaws 27 are raised out of the holes and they are then free to movelaterally away from the table. 1

At the end of the expanding process the slides 36 descend onto thelowest lift of the cams 37 raising the jaws 27 still higher so that thesides 26 of the table 24 can be raisedwithout coming into contact withthe underside of the expanded sheet of metal thus allowing anunexpandedsheet to be slid into position on the table 24 while the expanded sheetis being knocked off the jaws 27. The blocks 32 which carry the twoseries of jaws 27 (Figs. 8 and 9) for expanding the slit sheet are freeto move on two parallel bars 33 carried by arms 34 fixed to twolongitudinal rock shafts 35. The arms 34 are acted on by slides 36 andcams 37 (Fig. 4) which cause the bars 33 and jaws 27 to descend at. the

proper times, piercing through the edges of the sheet and entering slotsin the edges of the table. The rock shafts 35 have fixed to themweighted arms (not shown) which tend to turn the'shafts and keep thearms 34 in contact with the slides 36 and cause the-jaws 27 to ,risewhen they are free to do so. Im mediately therefore the nose of the cam.37 has passed from beneath the slide 36 the jaws rise to the level ofthe top of the table and just clear their hold on the'sheet. Thebearings of the shafts 35 are carried by blocks 38 free to move ontransverseguides 39-(Fig. 3) and the shafts 35 are connected by links 40to levers 41 acted upon by eccentrics 42 fixed on the shaft 17 which atthe proper times draw the two series of jaws 27 transversely outwardsaway from each other and so expand the slit sheet. The blocks 32carrying the jaws of each series are connected to each other by links 43acting somewhat like lazy tongs so that they are equidistant from eachother when fully separated. a rangement are shown at Figs. '8 9 endsbeing pivoted to the blocks 32 by transverse pins 44 and their upperends to transverse pins 45. Hung from the middle of the pins 45areinverted T shaped stops 46 (Fig. 8*) one end of which is forked while9, 8* and the other end carries a set screw 47, the end of which bearson a tongue 48 (Fig. 9*) pivoted near the bottom of the middle of thestop 46. Only ,oneof these stops is shown in Fig. 9 but it willbeunderstood that. one

is hung from each pin 'hen the. blocks of the slots in it, thusretainingv The links 43 ,are in pairs their lower The details of this 32are separated to the full extent the forked pin 44 lying between thearms of the forked end of the adjacent stop. When in this position thestop sup )orts the pin 45 andprevents its furtherescent and thereforethe further separation of the blocks 32. By turning the screws 47 themaximum distance between the blocks 32 can be adjusted.

The block 32 carrying the center aw-27 of.

each series is fixed-to the bar 33,.the other blocks moving on the barand closing up to wards the central jaw when the sheet 1s beingexpanded. After a sheet has been expanded the blocks are separated againin the following manner :The blocks at each end of each series are fixedto slides 49 (Figs. 5 and 6) free to move along the shafts 85. Theseslides carry pins 50 which engage with a bar 51 carrying guide rods 52which Work in guides 53 fixed to the underside of the table 24. The bar51 has on its underside a roller 54 which is acted on by a cam 55 fixedon the shaft 18. When the sheet has been expanded, the jaws 27 rise asshown at Fig.v 5 above the-level of the table and the sheet being nolonger supported by the latter dropsoff the jaws or is readily knockedoff by hand, and then the cams 55 come into operation and push the endblocks 32 longitudinally outwards away from the middle of the machine.The blocks then move transversely inwards, the jaws 27 descend and takehold of the edges of the next sheet, the blocks 32 move transverselyoutwards thus ex anding the sheet, and at the same time the locks move'longitudinally inwards towards the middle of the machine and so on.

It will be observed that the blocks 32 are only controlled by the cams55when they are being separated and the jaws thereforeare not engagingwith the slit sheet of metal. When the latter is being expanded theblocks are entirely free and their inward movement is entirely governedby the pull of the slit sheet in expanding, no undue strain therehire isput on any art of the sheet. This arrangement also al ows the samemachine to be used without alteration for difierent qualities of metal.j

It will be observed that the junctions of the strips are turned out ofthe lane of the sheet and the strips are twisted y a rolling operationimmeiliatelyfollowing the slitting. operation and that after havingpassed through these operations the sheets are ready for the expandingmechanism to which they may be immediately conveyed. The expandingmechanism operates to expand all the meshes in a sheet simultaneouslyand not gradually or step bystep as in some other processes. In this waythespeedot production is largely increased and the treatment given tothe metal before expanding is such that a maximum area of expanded metalmay be obtained from a given amount of'material as the meshesarepractically s uare instead of elon ated or diamond-shape and this isdone wit iout undue strain or weaken ing of the junctions or any otherparts of the fabric. In my application for 'patent No. 416,233, filedFeb. 17, 1908, I have claimed my improved process herein described'andmy improved article. I have claimed. in my appgllilcation filed April 7,1908, No. 425,717};

I 1atIclaimiszy j 1.. The combination of means for forming in a sheet ofmetal parallel, longitudinal rows of slits, means for turning thejunctions be tween the ends of the slits of each row to cause them toproject from opposite sides of the plane of the sheet and means forsubsequently expanding the sheet. 2. The combination oi means forforming in a sheet of metal parallel longitudinal rows of slits, meansfor turning the junctions between the ends of the slits of each row outof the planeof the sheet to cause each junction to project from oppositesides of the plane of the sheet, all the junctions in one transverserowbeing turned in the same direction while'all the junctions of the twoadjacent transverse rows are turned in the other direction, and meansfor expanding the sheet.

3. .T he combination of means for forming l in a sheet of metal arallellongitudinal-rows of slits, a pair of rolls with over-lap ing saw liketeeth adapted to engage with t e edges of the 'unctions between the endsof the slits of eac row, and means for expanding the sheet.

4. The combination otmeans for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, a pair of rolls with saw like teeth mountedand adapted to engage-with the edges of the junctions between theends-of the slits of each row to turn said junctions in o positedirections out of the plane of the sleet, alternate teethengagingrespectively with the right and left hand edges of the junctions, andmeans for expanding, the sheet.

5. The combination of means for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, a pair of rolls with saw like teeth adaptedto engage with the ed es of the junctions between the ends of the s itsof each row, each tooth having on one side a plane radial surface whilethe other side is rounded and beveled, and means for expanding thesheet.

6. The combination of means for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, a pair of rolls with saw like teeth adapted,to engage with the edges of the junctions between the ends of the slitsof each row, alternate teeth engaging respectively with the right andvleft hand edges of the junctions, each tooth having on one side a planeradial surface while the other side is rounded and beveled, and meansfor expanding the sheet.

7. The combination of-means-for forming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, means for turning the junctions between theendsof the slits of each row out of the plane of the sheet to cause eachjunction to project from opposite sidesof the plane of the sheet, andmeans for seizing the two edges of the sheet and pulling them a art.

8. The combination of means for orming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, means for turning the junctions be.- tweenthe ends of the slits of each row out of the plane ofthe sheet, all thejunctions in one transverse row being turned in the same direction whileall the junctions of the two adjacent transverse rows are turned in theother direction simultaneously,twisting the stri s between thejunctions, and means for seiz ng the two edges of the sheet and pullingv themapart. v

, 9. The combmation of means for forming agla pted to engagewith theedgesof the junc' tijoi rew'to turn said junctions out of the plane of[thesheet'and to twist the strips between the in a sheet of metalparallel longitudinalrows ofslits, a pair of rolls with saw like teethbetween the, ends of the slits of each @juuctions, and means for seizingthe two edge 'l' the sheet and pulling them a art. he combination ofmeans for' orming in a sheet of metal parallel longitudinal rows ofslits, a pairof rolls with saw like teeth adapted to enga e with theedges of the junctions between t e ends of the slits-of each row,alternate teeth engaging respectively row, each tooth having on one sidea plane radial surface while the other side is rounded and beveled, andmeans for seizing the two edges of the sheet and pulling them a art.

12'. The combination of means for orming in a sheet of metal parallellongitudinal rows of slits, a pair of rollswith saw-like teethadapted toenga e with the edges of the junctions between tlie ends of the slits ofeach row, alternate teeth engaging respectively with.the right and lefthand edges of the junctions, each; tooth having on one side a planeradial surface while the other side is rounded and beveled, and meansfor seizing the two edges of the sheet and pulling them apart.

FRANCIS HENRY CRITTALL.

Witnesses:

H. D. JAMEsoN, F. L. RAND.

